Burglar and fire alarm



May 26, 1925. r 1,539,620

w. M. wossoFF BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM Filed June 11, 920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' ii -Mt WITNESS W. M. WOSSOFF BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM 4 Sheets-s e 2 Filed June 11 1920 INVENTOR.

WITNESS.-

May 26, 1925. 1,539,620

W. WOSSOFF BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM I Filed June 11, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESS: I INVENTOR.

my 26,1925. I "1,539,626

1 w. M. wossoFF BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM Filed June 11, 1920 (sheets-sheet 4 WITNESS: IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 26, 1925.

WILLIAM M. wossorr, or mnaonmvrnnn, new JERSEY.

BUR/GLAR AND FIRE ALARM.

Application filed .Tune 11, 1920. Serial No. 388,333.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. Wossorr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merchantville, Camden County, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burglar and Fire Alarms, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to automatically controlled burglar and fire alarms, and while it is more particularly intended for business establishments, it may be employed generally in residences and other property subject to theft or fire.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved form of audible signal, which may be electrically actuated, whereby audible speech may indicate the desired alarm; a disk record of a talking machine being employed which may be brought into action by the closing or breaking'ot an electrical circuit. 1

A further object of my invention is to arrange an automatic telephone which will be put into operation when the alarm is sounded so that a central station, such as police headquarters, a fire company, or any other suitable agency may be notified promptly of the attempted burglary, or fire, as the case may be.

A further object of my invention is to arrange the signaling mechanism and the operating means therefor so that one part of the disk record may be utilized to indicate f the attempted burglary, while another part may be utilized to indicate the fire; the automatic telephone being arranged I to be brought into action through specially arranged mechanism, for either condition.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for closing or breaking a circuit which eii'ects actuation of the talking machine and the telephone;

, one arrangement being within control of clerks in the business establishment equipped with my improved alarm mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide meanswhereby the breaking of a shop window with burglarious intent may serve to open" or close an electric circuit controlling the operation of the alarms and the associated mechanism, or to actuate mechanism that will automatically efi'ect opening or closing of the electric circuit.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a plan view of a business es-- tablishment equipped with my improved burglar and fire alarm system, together with actuating means therefor.

Fig. 2, is an elevation of a window equipped with means for actuating the alarm should the window be broken.

Fig. 3, is a plan view of an automatically operated phonograph or talking machine showing the-same in one position.

Fig. 4:, is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing the automatically operated phonograph in the active position to indicate an attempted robbery.

Fig. 5, is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4,

showing the automatically operated phonograph in the active position to indicate the presence of a fire.

Fig. 6, is an elevation of the automatic phonograph and its actuating mechanism, in the position shown in Fig. 3. I

Fig. 7 is a View illustrating fire alarm circuit closing mechanism, and

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11, are views illustrating details of construction within the scope of my invention.

The improved phonograph or talking machine which I propose to use is suitably located in a store or other place of business, hotel,.residence, garage, store-house, or other property subject or liable to theft, burglary or fire, and is provided with a suitable disk record having means, electrically or otherwise controlled, for startingrotation of the record and automatically bringing into engagement therewith the needle of a suitable reproducer. The needle may be normally in engagement with one set of grooves of the record; the burglar alarm for instance, ready for action as soon as the record starts to rotate, as shown in Fig. 3. The record is provided with a plurality of separate and distinct sets of sound-producing grooves thereon. While any number necessary or desirable for the purposes of my invention may be employed, I have shown in thepresent instance two sets, one being designed to express a suitable alarm respecting thieves,

burglars, hold-up men or highwaymen, and another designed to express an alarm of 7 fire; each set of grooves being arranged for independent action, with coacting mechamay be arranged. In order that the burglar alarm feature may be placed in action, the store may be equipped with suitable circuit-controlling devices to open or close the circuit, which may be in the form of rails 1, adjacent the wires and set behind the show cases or counters 2, and near the floor whereby a clerk can readily place the alarm in action by the foot, even while obeying the injunction to throw up his hands' In addition, push buttonsl", may be arranged at suitable points behind the counters or at other places convenientto the rightful occupants of a store, room, apartment, 01; they like; plates 1 may be disposed at convenient points in the floor, and the door, in the case of a room or store, may be equipped with a suitable alarm actuator indicated at 1, to

operate or control the alarm mechanism, electrically or otherwise, in case theft or robbery is attempted by forcing the door; all of which devices are in the electrical circuit controlling the means for operating the disk reoord.-

vThe phonograph or talking machine structure is indicated generally at 3, and this may comprise the usual case 4, (havingthe usual operating mechanism, not shown), and carrying a disk record 5, arranged for rotation. A tone arm is indicated at 6, with a reproducer 7 having the usual needle 8. A.

sound conduit or horn may be employed as indicated at 9.

The disk record is provided with a plurality of sets of grooves, two for instance, indicated at 5? and 5 the former being intended to indicate an attempted theft,

burglary, or hold-up while the latter is intended to indicate the presence of fire.

' The position of the needle is controlled by a series of arms, rods and levers, hereinafter described, which are actuated by rack rods 10 and 10*, and pinions 11 and 11, upon the energization of solenoid magnets indicated at 12 and 12, forth.

When the magnet '12 is energized, it will attract the end of therack rod 10 which in turn, through the pinion 11, will swing the in the manner hereinafter set arm 13, pivoted at 14 to said pinion, to cause the rod 15 to throw off the stop 16, so than the record disk 5will be .free to rotate under the influence of the usual driving mecha- 1 nism. The needle 8 being in active position with respect to the disk 5,.the alarm will be given; the record being arranged to cry Thieves, burglars, help &c., together with the address of the store, name, &.c many times, while the cranked end 17 of the arm 13, actuates the lever 18 of a telephone instrument; such lever being the one normally held down by the receiver so as to open the telephone circuit. The grooves for this alarm are indicated at 5- adjacent to the edge of the disk record 5.

For the fire alarm, a group of 'wires 20, suitably placed around the store or room, ofiice, or the like, and arranged to cooperate with the other wires of the electrical circuit may have a plurality of switches 21 disposed at a number of points and normally open; being held open by a fusible material of relatively low melting point, such as stiff .tallow, or grease, wax or the like, or a readily fusible solder, as indicated at 22, Fig. 7, and when such material is melted by the action of heat, the switch contacts are permitted to close so as to energize a solenoid magnet 12*, which attracts a rack rod 10, operating a pinion 11 and through an arm 25 swung by this pinion, which arm carries a support 26 for the tone arm 3, the latter will be lifted so as to place the reproducerv and needle in the position indicated in Fig. 5, to sound the fire alarm, whichmay consist of cries of Fire togetherwith the address of the st0re, name, etc. In this case the reproducer is bodily lifted by the support 26 before it can engage the grooves for the fire alarm indicated at 5', and the telephone lever 18 is shifted by a link 27. The support 26 is'upwardly in-- clined at the end 26 so as to lift the tone arm when the needle reaches theend of either record.

The telephone may be 'of the automatic type, with a coin slot 30, in which a coin phones A transmitter 33 is shown at the side of the telephone, and the sound conduit or horn 9 of the phonograph or talking machine may communicate directly with the transmitter; By this means either alarm, producedtby the operation of the needle in contact with either set of grooves of the disk record, will notify the telephone operator of the attempted robbery or fire, and enable quick summoning of Help, or the alarm may lead directly to the policewheadq ua-rters, or a fire station.

A third alarm is arran ed to function if a bulk window is broken for the purpose of stealing articles in the window display, and comprises a curtain 35 to be dropped over the broken Window by the .aid of a Weight 36, upon the breaking of 'the glass. 1 This curtain, which may be of heavy mesh Wire or chain, may be carried by a suitable roller 3?, and is provided with a cord'38, to the lower end of which the weight 36 is atwould be occasioned by any attempt to break the same, will actuate said members 41 and cause them to swing over and engage a contact 4:1 to close or open an electric circuit and energize a solenoid such as 42; the latter attracting a lever 43 in operative engagement with the cord 38, to which the weight is attached and the dropping of the weight will lower the curtain. In addition, the circuit connected with the solenoid 12 may be opened or closed, as the case may be, so that such solenoid may be energized to start the phonograph and also open the telephone circuit through the mechanism desired.

I may employ a plurality of phonographs or talking machines, one of which, as indicated at 3", Fig. 1, may berarranged above the bulk window with a supplemental horn leading to a suitable aperture in the frame of the bulk window, so that the alarm produced by the phonograph or talking machine may be heard outside the store.

While I have disclosed certain arrangements of electric circuits to energize a plurality of solenoid magnets, it will be understood that I may employ any means to effect their energization for the purpose of placing the needle and reproducer in operative position to coact with the disk record reproducer and sound an audible alarm, with or without the telephone connection.

W hen the solenoid controlling the fire alarm mechanism is actuated, the arm 25 connected with the pinion 11*, is swung by that pinion so as to shift the tone arm from the grooves 5" of the disk record, to the grooves v5 of the latter, in order that such fire alarm may be sounded. In doing this, it is desirable, of course, to lift the needle from the grooves 53*, and for this purpose, the pinion is'provided with a sleeve 45., having a cam 46, cooperating with a red cam 47, so that when the pinion is turned the sleeve will move with it and the cam 46 will ride up on the cam 47 to an extent suflicient to clear the grooves 5 of the record as the tone arm is moved on the supporting arm 26. These cams are of such extent and so arranged that when the arm 25 reaches the limit of its movement, and the needle of the grooves 5*, such needle will be lowered onto the same. Fig. 10,-shows the relation of cams 46 and 47 before the arm 25 is shifted and Fig. 11, shows their relation after the arm 25 has been shifted to the position I shown'in Fig. 5.

is in position to engage the I have also shown certain mechanism to place the needle, reproducer and disk record in cooperative relation, but it will be understood that means or mechanism, other than that disclosed, may be" employed for this purpose and such equivalent means or mechanism is deemed to be within the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an alarm or signaling system, a phonograph or talking machine, a record therefor having a plurality of sets of grooves, a pivotally mounted tone arm with a needle adapted to engage either set of grooves, a stopnormally rendering the record inactive, electrically controlled means i for releasing said stop, and means for au-. tomatically transferring the needle from one set of grooves to another set of grooves simultaneously with the release of the rec-' ord holding stop.

2. In an alarm or signaling system, the combination of a talking machine record having a plurality of sets of grooves, means for rotating said record, a pivotally mount-- ed reproducer for cooperative engagement with the respective sets of grooves of said record, a lever for swinging said reproducer on its pivot, and means including a solenoid magnet for actuating said lever whereby said reproducer may be moved out of contact with one set of grooves and into contact with another set of grooves of said talking machine record.

3. In an alarm or signaling system, the combination of a talking machine record having a plurality of sets of grooves, means for rotating said record, a releasable stop for holding said record normally inactive,'a pivotally mounted reproducer for cooperative engagement with the respective sets of grooves of said record, a lever for swinging said reproducer on its pivot, a lever for releasing said stop, and means including a solenoid magnet for actuating said levers simultaneously, whereby the record may be released and the reproducer may be swung on its pivot out of operative engagement with one set of grooves and. into operative engagement with another set of grooves of said record.

4. In an alarm or signaling system, the

6 I I I combination of a talking machine record, a movable reproducer cooperating therewith, means for effecting rotation of said record,

a stop for holding the same against rotation,

- erative engagement with a different portion of the same upon the energization of one of sand magnets. a

5. In an alarm or signaling system, the

combination of a talking machine record, a

movable reproducer cooperating therewith,

means foreffecting rotation of said record, a stop normally holding the same against rotation, a pair of independent solenoid magnets, means for independently energizing said magnets; means actuated upon the energization of either of said magnets to release the record-holding stop whereby the reproducer may function in operative engagement with the record, cooperative lever mechanism for shifting said reproducer with respect to sald record for operative en- ..gagement with a different portion of the same upon the cnergization of one of said magnets, a telephone mstrument normally inactive, and means to place said telephone instrument in operative condition; said means being operatively connected toand actuated with the means serving to release said record-holding stop, whereby sound produced by the engagement of the reproducer with any portion of the record maybe transmitted over the circuit of said telephone instrument.

6. In an alarm or signaling system, the combination of an electric circuit, a phonograph or talking machine record, means for rotating said record, atone arm having a needle in engagement with said record, a

gage a different part of the record.

stop for preventing rotation of said record, a solenoid magnet 1n sald circuit, c1rcu1tcontrolling means, a rack rod attracted by said solenoid magnet, a pinionactuated by said rack rod,-a lever actuated by said pin-- ion for releasing said stop, and means for shifting said tone arm and needle to en- 7. In an'alarm or signaling system, the combination of an electric circuit, a phonograph or talking machine record,n1eans for rotating said record, a tone armhaving a needle in engagement with said record, a

' stop for preventing rotation of said record,

a solenoid magnet in said circuit, circuitcontrolling means, a rack rod attracted by said solenoid magnet, a pinion actuated by said rackrod, an automatic telephone, levers actuated by said pinion for releasing said stop and simultaneously opening said telephone circuit whereby any sound produced by said record may be transmitted over said telephone circuit, and means for shifting said tone arm and needle to engage a different part of the record. I

8. In an alarm or signaling system, a talking machinerecord of the disk type, a pivotal y-mounted tone arm carrying the usual reproducer and record-engagin needle, independently controlled mechanlsm whereb said. reproducer and needle may be positioned in operative engagement with differ ent portions of said record, means'for rotating said record, a stopnormally preventing rotation of said record, electrically controlled mechanism including a plurality of levers for releasing said stop and simultaneously swinging said tone arm on its pivot.

across the faceof the record, and .means for automatically raising said tone arm while 1t is being swung on its plvot.

9. In an alarm or signaling system, a-

phonograph or talking machine having a record with a plurality of sets of grooves,

a'single, pivotally' mounted, tone arm withconcentrically arranged, a tone arm with a needle, means for placin said needle'in 'engagement with any set 0 grooves including 10. In an alarm or signaling system,-a-' phonograph /or talking machine having a record WIth a plurality of sets of grooves an arm arranged to shift said tone arm and a support therefor, means for actuating Said arm, camming means whereby said arm may be llfted as it is shifted across a set of grooves and then lowered into engagement with the desired set of grooves, means for rotating said record, a releasable stopfor holding said record normally inactive, and means cooperating with the tone arm shift-- stop.

11. In an alarm or signaling system, a phonograph or talking machine having a record with a plurality of sets of grooves concentrically arranged, a tone arm'with a needle, means for placing said needle in ening means for simultaneously releasing saidgagement with an innerset of grooves in cluding an arm arranged to shift said tone arm and a support therefor, means for actuating said arm, cooperating cams whereby said arm may be lifted as it is shifted into enga ement with said inner set of grooves and t enlowered into engagement with the desired set of grooves, means for rotating said record, a releasablestop for holding .saidrecord normall inactive, and means cooperatlng w th tie tone, arm shifting means for slmultaneously releaslng said stop.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM M. WossoFFl, 

